If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

What can be done for 88-year old with diagnosed stomach cancer?

Hi community,

I am posting this question on behalf of my 88-year old grandfather who was recently diagnosed with stomach cancer after the doctor discovered a tumor in the stomach during an endoscopy procedure to remove gallstones.

Currently, he is undergoing various scans to determine whether or not the cancer has spread so we're not quite sure what stage the cancer is in right now. We do know, however, that the liver and lungs look good so it hasn't spread there.

However, we are faced with some tough questions and decisions. Because of his advanced age, if he chooses not to have any radiation/chemotherapy treatment, how long would he have to live? Assuming the cancer has not yet spread and is contained to the stomach, would removing part (or all) of the stomach increase his years or is that not guaranteed?

Dear Nobelrare: Sorry to hear about your grandfather, but at age 88 he's lived longer than 70% of the population, so he's already an uncommon case. There are a variety of problems with the questions you ask, and the 1st is that none of us are doctors, and so we can't answer any of your questions at all. The 2nd problem is that even if we were doctors, there is no way we could provide any sort of survival odds based on 7 lines of internet text, particularly without data from any standardized tests. The questions you ask can only be answered by a competent oncologist, after they have done whatever testing is necessary, which in your grandfather's case is probably quite a bit of investigation.With that being said, there is a very large additional difficulty in that as a community of cancer survivors, a lot of us have defied very long odds, so we may be the exception rather than the rule. A lot of us regard our survival percentage a standing joke, and that covers the % that the oncologist gave us, and what we have actually achieved until now.You will have to get all of your questions answered by an appropriate doctor, and that's your only source for answers for now. Due to your grandfather's age, however, there are some specific questions you and your family should be asking yourselves, and those are what are your goals for medical intervention in your grandfather's case. Is it quantity of life, or quality of life, or some combination of the two, and if it's a combination, how do you figure out the ratio between the two? These are not easy questions, but for the sake of your grandfather and the rest of your family, you need to come up with answers that your family can live with now, and for years to come.If and when you get a detailed doctor's diagnosis of your grandfather's condition with the relevant standardized test results, you can certainly post them in the appropriate cancer section of this forum, and then survivors with similar conditions may be able to give some helpful advice.

Sorry to hear of this. What can be done at this point is that which is greatly misunderstood. Palliative care seeks to retain as much quality of life as possible, while slowing the growth of the cancer as much as possible. It is a compromise at both ends, but is not hospice - that is reserved for the perceivable end. He has lived a good, long life, although he may not be prepared to leave this life at this point. His basic health and overall attitude will go far in determining how well and how long he perseveres. It was his life, it is his life and it will remain his life.

As with every one of us, he needs family and friends at this time. He needs to know that he is loved and that is perhaps best expressed by simple presence with him. Although the seeming end of his life is a natural thing, and prolonging it too long risks him seeing a few of his descendants go before him. I'm not certain that anyone would wish that on him. The love you have for him, and his for you, will never die - it remains in your hearts always.

I have an update on my grandfather's condition. We recently did a PET scan and confirmed that the cancer does not appear to have spread beyond the stomach. There is a 5cm (2 in) tumor and the doctor recommends that we do a partial gastrectomy (stomach removal) and attach the rest to his small intestines. Grandpa also has some heart issues so we're going to check with his heart specialist to see if he can even handle surgery.

One thing that we're concerned about is figuring out whether to go with the surgery at his age or (since it hasn't spread) go with radiochemotherapy treatments. Which is more harmful for his body at his age? Does surgery even offer any benefits considering the risk of heart issues, pneumonia, infection, etc.?

Dear nobelrare: Those are some pretty complex and serious questions you have asked, and sadly not one of us has a doctor's license of any sort, much less a degree as an oncologist. Try to find at least one good oncologist, and possibly two to give you their opinions.

Hello....Just found this forum and thought I would share my dad's experience with EC. My 84 year old dad was diagnosed with EC adenocarcinoma at the esophageal junction March 2017. He had a Pet/CT scan and It was stage III at diagnosis with several lymph nodes involved. He has several other health issues diabetes, chronic kidney disease, COPD and was not a candidate for aggressive chemo or surgery. He was eating blended soft food at diagnosis. He then received 5 weeks of targeted radiation therapy in July 2017 and had no side effects from the radiation and after completion he was able to eat most any food. In August he started the oral chemo Xeloda. He had some issues with cracks on his hands so they lowered the dosage. He has no other side effects from the Xeloda. At his last Pet/CT scan in October 2017. ..It was a mixed response most lymph nodes that were active earlier were no longer active or less active and the tumor in his esophagus is stable but he had a nodule on his lung that was new so he is now stage IV. He has a good quality of life and the treatment is palliative but it has slowed down the cancer which is what we were hoping for. He is due for his next Pet/CT scan 2/1/18. I am nervous about the scan but not because of any symptoms. Just the unknown...and because of his chronic kidney disease there are not alot of options as far as chemo goes. I am curious Noblerare what treatment was decided on for your grandfather? I realize his is stomach cancer but there is not alot of info on folks in their 80's and treatment. Thanks for listening. Lisa